Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2. Below-the-line Marketing
3. Case Studies
easypaisa in Pakistan EKO in India Orange Money in Mali Vodafone M-PESA in Tanzania
Introduction
A heavy investment in marketing (especially advertising) is increasingly seen as a critical component for a successful branchless banking (BB) service However, some services have invested millions in advertising with minimal results and low awareness Mobile money is a new concept that is being introduced in cash-based economies where people are not familiar with checks, debit/credit cards or even bank accounts as an alternative to cash for storing value Effectively communicating what the service is, why the customer should use it and how they can use it is not easy and will take multiple steps
Too much reliance on above-the-line (ATL) activities like TV, radio and billboards without enough below-the line (BTL) interaction and customer education, especially face-to-face. Vague ads about having a bank in your pocket confused customers who did not understand the product. They also portrayed mobile money as a premium service for high-end users.
MNO-led implementations often just focused on the brand since airtime competition is brand-based. However, while customers already know what airtime is, they dont know what mobile money is and so the brand-based marketing was not very effective.
Adverts should drive customers to people (e.g., agents) who are motivated and trained to patiently explain the product to customers
Use real-life examples to communicate practically what the product is and how it might be used. These usage scenarios should be applicable to unbanked people. Segment your target customers and focus on the pain points each group experiences with cash Explain what the service is, why a customer should use it and how they can use it this will take time and money
Raise awareness on WHAT product is Introduce basic concept of moving money around on your phone Use simple, real-life examples and messages (e.g., buy airtime with your phone or send money home)
Persuade customers WHY they should use product Identify customer pain points and create adverts that communicate directly to these pain points and why this service will help their daily lives
Make sure to guide customers on HOW to use service Customers will need help, especially at the beginning before critical mass of customers can teach each other. Agents should be well-trained to offer customers support.
2. Below-the-line Marketing
3. Case Studies
easypaisa in Pakistan EKO in India Orange Money in Mali Vodafone M-PESA in Tanzania
Providers are increasingly prioritizing BTL activities, especially in poorer and less educated countries
ATL plays an important role in raising awareness and introducing a brand to the public However, providers are learning that millions spent on TV and radio advertising may not be enough to get customers signed up and transacting Instead, customers in many markets (especially those with a less educated population and an oral tradition) need face-to-face interaction Providers believe it takes 15 30 minutes of personal interaction before a customer understands mobile money
I wish it was as easy as putting up a billboard in every dusty village in Tanzania. But its a lot harder its about guys walking around the villages with a T-shirt saying, Ask me about M-PESA! and striking up conversations. Its about canopies in front of agent shops and a massive focus on educating one potential customer at a time.
- Jacques Voogt, Head of Vodafone M-PESA in Tanzania
Registration tents/canopies at local events or in front of agent shops Sponsoring local events
WizzKids at a tent
Street Theater
1. Official agent # or ID
2. Below-the-line Marketing
3. Case Studies
Easypaisa in Pakistan EKO in India Orange Money in Mali Vodafone M-PESA in Tanzania
easypaisa
Context: In December 2008, Pakistans second largest mobile operator Telenor (21.7m active SIM connections, 22% market share) purchased a 51% stake in Tameer Microfinance Bank. The two created a branchless banking joint venture called easypaisa. Easypaisa offers both over the counter (OTC) bill payment and money transfer services as well as a mobile wallet with which customers can do a wide range of transactions including deposits, transfers, bill payments, airtime top-ups and withdrawals. A phased approach was adopted with OTC services rolled out first followed by the mobile wallet. Telenor has handled easypaisas marketing campaign. They have invested millions of dollars in marketing and produced high-quality advertisements. First, easypaisa OTC was rolled out using general brand-building ads coupled with functional ads explaining the product. The approach was successful in establishing the brand and creating high usage of OTC services. Next, the mobile wallet was launched with a view to leverage the existing OTC product. However, it was harder than anticipated to switch customers from OTC to mobile wallet based on general ads and customers needed more information explaining the functionality of the product.
Easypaisas Marketing: Stage 1 The Launch: Build the Brand & OTC Product Portfolio
For the launch of easypaisa, Telenor focused on promoting and establishing the brand coupled with explaining the functionality of the OTC products. This was important in establishing awareness and trust in the new brand.
http://youtu.be/jl11t2me4p8
The video above is supposed to show the challenges of everyday life in Pakistan. A man is in a maze but there are lots of barriers and obstacles he encounters.
Easypaisa launched print ads at the same time showing the same man on a very straight path with no obstacles. The point is that easypaisa simplifies your life and makes it easier.
Easypaisas Marketing: Stage 1 The Launch: Build the Brand & OTC Product Portfolio
The second component of the launch campaign involved establishing the functional aspects of the OTC products (giving solutions to the problems). The Utility Bill Payments and Money Transfer advertisements are illustrated below.
http://youtu.be/3S4RXzGdemY
http://youtu.be/2uNQOLovgj8
http://youtu.be/s4h7oiOC3kA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy3PgLNaO8Q
The Problem? The ads are very general. Most customers did not understand what the Mobile Wallet was or how they could use it and so the customers did not relate to these ads.
Snakes and Ladders Game EKO has developed a strategy for group customer education. First, a strategic location is chosen and marketing materials are set up, including a snakes and ladders game to create awareness about financial services and catch the attention of people passing by. Participants move up in the game and learn about positive attributes of EKO and move down when a customer pain point is mentioned.
Drama Once a sizable group (40-50 people) has gathered, a street theater ensues. The subject is a young man who is about to get married but does not have a bank account. He is told by a wise older man about the importance of a bank account now that he will have many responsibilities and the ease of accessing an account through EKO.
In contrast to several other providers featured here, EKO is a start-up with almost no brand recognition of its own. It is also operating a bank-based service and encouraging customer savings. As a result, it features the brand of its partner banks prominently to facilitate customer trust.
EKOs Brand
Road Shows Orange Money Mali has an audiovisual truck which it uses to go around the country with music and animation to conduct road shows. This raises awareness and interest.
Direct SMS, especially for promotions Orange Money has had success with promotions such as free transfers during Ramadan or double bonus on airtime purchased through the phone. The primary way they communicate this to customers is Direct SMS. The number of active customers roughly doubles during these promotions.
Importance of face-to-face customer education Although Orange Mali developed a leaflet with lots of illustrations to explain the product, theyve found that nothing replaces personal interaction. Mali has an oral culture and Orange Money has now deployed Boys and Girls to move around and explain the product to customers and help them get started.
Importance of driving customers to these Boys and Girls All other marketing medium (TV, radio, etc.) needs to drive customers to a person who can explain the product to them and convince them to sign up. Otherwise, nothing will happen. For example, they found that the route and stops of the audiovisual truck were not carefully aligned with distribution points. This has now been fixed and customers are now directed to Boys and Girls or other agents.
Context: Vodafone M-PESA launched in April 2008. After the huge success of Kenya next door, there were high expectations for M-PESA in Tanzania and significant amounts pumped into marketing and agent acquisition. Initially, growth was lower than expected and after millions of dollars, less than half of Vodacom customers were aware of what M-PESA does. It has since significantly retooled its marketing strategy. Vodafone M-PESA has gone through at least three different stages of marketing: 1. Brand Awareness Primarily above-the-line marketing to introduce customers to the new brand and focus on M-PESA as a money transfer service 2. Usage Scenarios M-PESA developed usage scenarios that applied to average Tanzanians. These scenarios conveyed the message that M-PESA is not just about sending money home, it can help in all sorts of situations. For example, if you are a truck driver and stuck in a remote town, you can use M-PESA to buy more fuel (see examples on slides 5658). 3. Convenience through extensive agent network M-PESA is everywhere The latest marketing push was focused on expanding the agent network. M-PESA increased agent commissions so that they are viable at lower numbers of transactions. Agents are also better trained to offer increased customer support and education. This has greatly increased M-PESAs footprint throughout Tanzania.
Recharge and Win Vodacom thought that it would be easier for customers to quickly understand and use airtime topup via M-PESA rather than money transfer. So, it introduced a promotion called Recharge and Win where customers get a chance to win prizes based on how much airtime they buy. This was a highly effective campaign and increased exponentially the amount of airtime purchased with M-PESA.
Key lesson learned has been the importance of below-theline marketing and education-based marketing, as opposed to just brand building. In a country where 72% of the population live in rural environments like Tanzania, people learn and come to trust a service through face-to-face personal interactions, rather than billboards. The low literacy rates means that verbal communication is the preferred marketing channel. If Vodafone M-PESA could start over again, it would dedicate many more resources to BTL to support the ATL call to action.
2. Below-the-line Marketing
3. Case Studies
Easypaisa in Pakistan EKO in India Orange Money in Mali Vodafone M-PESA in Tanzania
Country: Pakistan
Services offered: Airtime top-up, bill payment, money transfer, international remittance
Tagline: Message/ positioning: No consistent tagline Various ads focus on specific functionality, most notably anytime, easy transfer and utility bill payment. (Initial focus on bank in pocket message and imagery) For mobile wallet - upscale urban users, likely existing bank account holders who would be familiar with basic banking i.e., focus on additive vs. transformational. For OTC - wider range of users featured. TV, print, billboards, and other innovative outdoor. Focus on existing bank account holders with upscale imagery (hip female dressers, jeans, light skin) and ads in English; limited unbanked relevance. Very high quality production value with range of creative.
Target customer:
Media: Analysis:
NOTE: New ads to be released shortly will focus more on functionality and reflect easypaisas revised marketing strategy.
easypaisa ads
easypaisa ads
easypaisa video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUAaGE3UXS0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ay1XLu_RPU
Country: Philippines
Services offered: Airtime top-up, Bill payment, Domestic and international money transfer
Use humor, celebrities, and brand imagery/color to focus on accessible outlets, cheap and easy remittances, and discounted airtime load. Upscale, hip urban consumer. Appeal to young, tech-savvy customers with social media (Facebook, etc.), partnerships with online gaming, and reality TV and movie stars. TV, print. Seems to primarily focus on domestic remittances; not as much about other range of banking products. TV ads and serials create cool factor with celebrities, fashionable sets, outfits, and color. Trying to create aura of neighborhood accessibility.
Media: Analysis:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of0CDcvtUsA
EUGENE DOMINGO (Filipino celebrity): You have a new member in your neighborhood. It has the most no. of outlets and cheapest remittance fees. Send money using GCASH Remit! GCASH Remit, your new neighbor! Now, GCASH Remit, has domestic remittance services! It has the most no. of outlets, cheapest remittance fees, and free airtime load with text alert! Send money using GCASH REMIT, your new neighbor!
Country: Kenya
Services offered: Primarily savings with link to M-PESA account for money transfers and other services
Tagline: Message/ positioning: Target customer: No consistent tagline Better, safer way to save than traditional methods
Focused on existing Equity customer profile (i.e., lower/middle income, people coming to banks for the first time). Banners and TV. Clearly focus on comparisons against traditional ways to save (exposing inefficiency, risks, etc.), with clever, humorous, and engaging stories however, never really spells out product and relies on existing knowledge. Highly relevant to poor and unbanked. Does not clearly spell out benefits (pricing, interest rate, etc.) or functionality of products.
Media: Analysis:
M-Kesho TV Adverts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBA4DC-zmeA
http://youtu.be/fJqJsvKZpco
M-Kesho Headgear
M-Kesho Hole
Country: Fiji
Services offered: Airtime top-up, bill payment, salary payment, domestic money transfer
Tagline: Message/positio ning: Target customer: Media: Analysis: Power to you Focus on empowerment of being able to pay/transfer anywhere, anytime. Some ads focused on airtime promotions. General audience, no particular demographic focus. TV, print. Clever use of everyday situations (paying a taxi driver, getting school fees, need to send money to parents) to illustrate empowerment benefits of mobile money. Generally upbeat, accessible, and fun with images and characters. Focus on solving real problems in easy way.
M-PAiSA TV adverts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS5FCbHZmxQ
http://youtu.be/cKLboKMcdCE
Transfer Money
Country: Kenya
Services offered: Airtime top-up, bill payment, domestic and international money transfer, merchant payments, link to bank account
Tagline: Send money home initially; now less focused on single tagline (e.g., Changing Lives) Faster, easier way to transfer money was initial focus; now messaging hope, aspiration, and other intangible benefits. Working class/Middle class focus (with some aspirational images of upper middle) TV, print, etc. Initially focused squarely and obsessively on easy transfer, with print ads featuring narratives around send money home. Now, with increasing awareness, focus is shifting towards general brand sentiments and aspirations, including messages about family, love, etc.
Media: Analysis:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEZ30K5dBWU
M-PESA started with a very simple proposition Send Money by Phone (M-PESA is the new, easy and affordable way to send money home) to describe the service to customers
As the use of M-PESA spread, it started marketing different features such as paying salaries and bills
The adverts were no longer teaching customers about specific product functionality. but focused on building an aspirational brand around concepts like love and opportunity and included a new tag line: Changing lives.
Target customer:
Media: Analysis:
PROMOTION Send money with Mobile Money and win a school kit (100 given away each week)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFuwTF1BSWo
Services offered: Airtime top-up, bill payment, money transfer, merchant payment
Tagline: Message/ positioning: No consistent tagline Focus on range of functions, including bill pay and purchases. Also ads featuring timebound promotion for free transfers and withdrawals. Attempts to create general sense of ease and approachability with fun cartoon images. Limited focus on mobile.
Target customer:
Focus on everyone. Cartoon images depict savvy kid, housewife, and two middleaged males. One image features upscale surroundings (recliner, halogen lamp, TV) suggesting more upscale focus, at least for bill pay.
Billboards and print. (Not able to locate other.)
Media:
Analysis:
Various ads focus on particular function, but little technical explanation of product functionality.
Country: Haiti
Target customer:
Middle income people including minibus driver, elderly woman and housewife with daughter. All are well-dressed and exude confidence and fun.
Media:
Analysis:
Upbeat and accessible ads focusing on using mobile money to solve practical problems like sending money home or keeping money out of reach of the grandsons. Seems to target unbanked people who are currently storing money in informal ways.
http://youtu.be/KZP9C2Zsl2c
http://youtu.be/QwMDUFjN9PQ
Country: Tanzania
Message/ positioning:
Vodafone M-Pesa
Tagline for original advertisements was Send Pesa by phone and closely followed M-PESA Kenya imagery of money flying in and out of phones
Vodafone M-Pesa
Money Transfer: Sign up now to get an easier and cheaper service to transfer money.
Bill Pay
Vodafone M-Pesa
Airtime Top-Up: With M-PESA you never run out of airtime during a conversation.
Use to Win Each time you use M-PESA you are entered into a sweepstakes to win about $27,000
Country: Cambodia
Services offered: Airtime top-up, bill payment, money transfer, salary payments
Tagline: Message/ positioning: Target customer: Unknown Send and receive money easily; emphasize lack of intimidation, potential for use even for unsophisticated, low-tech customers. Ads show full range of potential users, from upper middle class urban youth to older farmers. Outdoor, print, TV. Campaign is light-hearted, uplifting, and even humorous particularly the TV spot with the farmer and cow. Succeeds in making product seem accessible.
Media: Analysis:
WING Money
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNiXOiFXgRQ
Country: Various
Services offered: Airtime top-up, bill payment, merchant purchases, money transfer
Tagline: Money in your hand Much more than money transfer Focus on new way to do payment and transfers, but suggesting greater functionality than transfer-focused M-Pesa payments, transfers, salaries, banking links, airtime. Upscale (based on imagery and scenes/characters well-done nails and designer bag; boutique fashion shopping; etc) TV, print. Ads seem focus on well-to-do customers, suggesting users are already familiar with banking; less relevance for unbanked. Evolution ad positions service as groundbreaking and historic, perhaps causing customers to take note. Ads rely on more than money transfer tagline without making this real what is world of functionality and how is this different than alternatives?
Media: Analysis:
* Zain has been purchased by Airtel. The Zap mobile money business has been rebranded as Airtel Money.
Zap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFdDs-EvR-I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uo5ggqEqSw&feature=youtu.be
Other similar ads Send Money Home by M-Paisa (Fiji) and XacBank (Mongolia)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3e9HrHZuy0
http://youtu.be/KIDrcwmyCaQ
UBL Pakistan
Advertising its role in helping facilitate payments after devastating floods